(a) Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to an oscillation and rotation metric controller, and more particularly, to one adapted with a knob switch encoder to a scrolling wheel mechanism to provide metric control functions by displacement of rotation.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
In the structure of a computer mouse of the prior art, a knob switch encoder is a must with its essential function to exercise rotation metric control over the scrolling wheel mechanism as a scroll bar. Up to now, the knob switch encoder when applied to a mouse is usually fixed to a circuit board and connected by a carrier from the scrolling wheel to exercise rotation control to longitudinally scroll pages displayed on the monitor.
The latest design of a mouse gives oscillation and rotation metric control to synchronously scroll pages laterally and longitudinally. As the knob-switch encoder gives the advantages of lower cost and easy access, how to apply it in the scrolling wheel mechanism for the latter to provide synchronous rotation metric control is the primary concern of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 10A and FIG. 10A of the accompanying drawings, the latest design of a mouse is essentially comprised of a scrolling mechanism (A2) provided on a carrier (A1) and adapted with electronic circuit board, grating wheel and optical sensor to achieve rotation metric control by rotating the scrolling wheel clockwise or counter-clockwise. A pair of press bars (A4) respectively extends from both sides of an outer frame (A3) of the scrolling wheel mechanism (A2) at where in relation to two micro-switches (A5) respectively disposed on the left and the right inner walls of the carrier (A1). When the scrolling wheel mechanism (A2) swings to the left, it drives the press bar to touch the RH micro-switch (A5); and to the right, the LH micro-switch to execute oscillation metric control purpose.
As illustrated in FIG. 10, the return structure for the scrolling wheel mechanism (A2) is comprised of a clip (A6). The clip (A6) in conjunction with a central return tongue (A61) provides the return function. Wherein, when the scrolling wheel mechanism (A2) swings to its left or right, it delivers the counter elasticity to the clip (A6) to push the scrolling wheel mechanism (A2) in opposite direction to return to its original position. Furthermore, a torsion spring is used for the longitudinal return function for the scrolling wheel mechanism (A2). Generally, it takes two sets of different elastic members, the clip and the torsion spring, for the scrolling wheel mechanism to achieve lateral and longitudinal return, resulting in more complicated design and consuming too much time and efforts for the assembly. Therefore, the prior art is observed with the following defectives:
1. Problems with the touch mechanism. The design with the micro-switch is found with many problems including the presence of the action spacing, lower sensitivity and short service life are observed with the touch mechanism of the micro-switch.
2. Greater force needed to touch the micro-switch. This makes the operation uncomfortable putting the design of the touch micro-switch under serious criticism and trial.
3. The limited mechanical service life. Any failure or poor contact due to tear and wear of any micro-switch will frustrate the control and operation, or even prevent the micro-switch useless, thus to shorten the service life of the oscillation metric control structure that essentially operates on the micro-switch.
4. Higher production cost and more workstations in the assembly. With the comparatively more precise and complicated design of grating wheel and optical sensor, significant increase of total production is taken for granted.
5. Larger power consumption. The optical sensor has LED as the light-emitting source that consumes more power to frustrate the power saving-design requirement.
6. Elastic fatigue. The clip used for the return of the scrolling wheel mechanism is vulnerable to elasticity fatigue resulting in greater clamping space to negatively affect the control.
7. Less competitive. Both of the clip and the torsion spring used for the return structure of the scrolling wheel mechanism damages the competition advantages of the product due to that more types of components and higher materials and production costs are required.